Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn. Read my introduction to be taught extra about me and my 5 humorous canine, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.
Just a few months after we introduced residence a fluffy little German Shepherd pup, we started to suspect there’d been a fox within the henhouse. Or on this case, a Malinois within the German Shepherd kennel.
As Kodah received older and bigger, he grew to become extra energetic, chaotic, and tough to maintain stimulated, and his skill to leap remarkably excessive solely strengthened our suspicions about his genetics. Fortunately for us, he by no means let his frustrations have an effect on his candy nature, and our pint-sized Chihuahuas at all times ensure that he stays in line!
Kodah ♥️ Water
It’s one factor to maintain up with the train necessities of a canine like Kodah, however maintaining his mind stimulated, in addition to his physique, has been a relentless problem, as he shortly turns into obsessive concerning the issues he enjoys. One exercise he completely loves is chasing water. What began as a playful squirt of water in his route while watering the backyard, shortly grew to become his new favourite factor, and it additionally allowed me to supply him with much-needed enrichment from the consolation of my backyard chair.
The physique twisting, peak leaping acrobatics Kodah carried out in pursuit of a jet of water was extra spectacular than something he did when out for a run on the beach or throughout a recreation of chase, and even the littlies, Ned and Fred, loved racing after the smaller drops of water as they landed, so long as they stayed away from the falling German Malinois!
As I discussed, Kodah’s enjoyment can quickly transform into obsession and hyperfixation, which grew to become apparent anytime I attempted to water the crops and even stroll previous the backyard hose. And if some forgetful individual left the hose nozzle inside his attain, Kodah would destroy it in his efforts to get it to shoot water. This occurred 3 times.
I Don’t Want to Be a Killjoy…
I used to be torn between wanting to permit Kodah to proceed with an exercise he so clearly loved, and one which thoroughly tired him out, however I didn’t need him to hyperfixate on the hose, or have to interchange yet one more nozzle. The resolution was clear: a water pistol, a giant one.
Kodah isn’t any much less excited by the looks of this newfound supply of enjoyable than he was by the hose, however having the ability to finish the sport and pack it away has not solely taken his focus away from the hose, however he additionally appears extra accepting when the sport is over. Previously, in Kodah’s eyes, the hose was nonetheless there, so there was no purpose the sport couldn’t preserve going. Now that we don’t use the hose when he’s within the backyard, he merely enjoys his enjoyable with the water gun, and strikes on to different issues when it’s put away, serving to his sanity and my water invoice.
Let The Good Times Roll
So carry on summer time, carry on the sunshine, and produce on an enriched and active Kodah. The indisputable fact that an enriched and energetic Kodah turns into an exhausted and quiet Kodah is only a glad little profit for me and the remainder of the family!
